Mollie Jo Joseph, a new romance writer, shares her story [Interview and Giveaway]

7:42 pm 7 November 2017

If you're a fan of romantic stories with some nice twist and turns, and emotional tension, meet Mollie Jo Joseph - a new romance writer who made her dream come true with publishing her first novel Accepting the Unexpected. Mollie agreed to answer several questions about her writing path and her experiences as a self-published author. You can also win Mollie's romance, click here to enter the Accepting the Unexpected giveaway, we have 3 copies for You!

Enjoy!

What are you reading right now, Mollie?

Jane Austin’s Emma, in research for my next book !!

I have to ask. Is Mollie Jo Joseph your real name or a pen name? If it’s the latter, why have you decided to use an alter ago name for your writing career?

No, Mollie Jo Joseph is my pen name. I chose it because I never thought my own name (Joanne Hull) has ever had much of a “ring” to it. So I choose Mollie who is my niece and Joseph is my granddad and unfortunately I never got chance to meet either of them so I believe it is a nice tribute to them, Jo is me!!

Your first romance book Accepting the Unexpected is out. Congratulations! Can you tell us more about your book and how the idea was born?

It took me to get the age of 26 to realize that the stories in my head are actually what I have created, and I chose to start with this one because it strangely started to reflect events that happened in my own life. So in short it took for my first love to leave me for another woman to start the journey.

The book is a mix of real life issues I have been through such as heartache and depression, and comic fiction. I wanted to deliver a funny romcom with the real life struggles that many of us have to face. I hope this is what makes my book special, as I can assure all future readers that this book is in no way depressing, it has all the twist and turns that chick lit should have.

E-book giveaway!

October 7 - October 29

It’s based around a hair and fashion magazine named “sleek” set in Cornwall England that than travels over to New York City. It has the classic love triangle with some unexpected twists and supporting characters that are still very important to the plot. I really hope people can relate to Leila my main character but be captivated by a handsome actor/model named Blake and the mysterious ex football star Richard, throw in the drama with the ex! and some funny but also sad moments along the way.

On your Twitter we’ve spotted the mind map for building new book characters. Can you tell more about your writing process?

Well book two is very different to Accepting the unexpected as half of the cast where based on real people so I didn’t have to think too deeply into the characters as I know them personally. But with book two (Still no title) its fiction based in a completely different era in time the start of the 20^th century. So I decided to mind map my characters and how they are all linked in an old school well to help introduce them into the story. I’ve had to tackled this one very differently as I need to brush up on my history facts!

New book characters mind map

You describe yourself as a New Indie Author. What does it mean to be an Indie Author for you?

I’m very new to this, my day job is a hairdresser. I knew very little on how to write and format a book. I am a complete amateur really, but I was lucky that I got introduced to some fellow “indie authors”, Independent authors along the way, that helped guide me on how to get my book into the world as I pretty much done the whole thing myself. I had no beta readers, proof readers, I roped a few friends in along the way but it wasn’t the right kind of help. I’ve learned a lot in this process that will help book two be even better.

Self-publishing is a real trend now, a lot of authors, readers and bloggers have decided to follow the self-pub path. How did your self-publishing process look like? Would you recommend it for other aspiring writers?

Of course, I hoped that I could somehow land a literary agent that could find me a publisher and have hard back published versions of my book (I still do) but lots of great writers are out there doing the same thing. I find it to be a tough market for shiny new authors such as myself. So the help I got was from writers who have self published so I took a shot in the dark really. But it’s been the quickest way to get my work out into the world.

Could you tell our readers which authors inspire you?

Candice Bushnell and Helen Fielding where massive inspirations for my book, I'd say Accepting the Unexpected is a mixture of Sex and the city and Bridget Jones diary. I loved the characters they created. E L James is another, not that my book is any type of Fifty shades. But she unleashed a market of readers who I feel would also enjoy my work so I commend her for that.

Jane Austin is my new favorite author. I’m really enjoying her work at the moment as I do like to be taken to another era in time. I love to escape so J.K Rowling is my hero! She is a freak of nature to have that world of Harry Potter in her imagination is just truly amazing. I would love nothing more than just even a tenth of her imagination. I also enjoy Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, again it’s another world and they are huge inspirations for book three!! As I have a fantasy adventure in my head that I have wrote some of but is not fully realized yet so watch this space!

What are you reading when not writing? Could you please recommend some of your top reads?

Recently I’ve read a few of a fellow indie authors work Cassandra P Lewis she writes some great suspense romance and her most recent book “Home” is one I'd highly recommend. Also “The Law Of Attraction” by Roxie Copper is another, it’s her first novel about the world of getting into law with some really great twists and turns. I loved it! So please check out these authors they are talented ladies.

We’re really curious of writers’ writing habits :) Where do you write? Our readers would love to see some photos of your writing space.

Well, I wrote Accepting the Unexpected on an old net book that decided to crash so thank goodness for Google docs! But I do now have a computer set up in my living room, I need to have peace and quiet to write and a good few hours to spare which I wish I had more of that’s why it took my first book four years to write.

Mollie Jo Joseph's writing spot

From your point of view: is it easy to become a writer nowadays?

No I believe it’s extremely hard. There are just so many talented writers out there and we would all like our time in the spot light. But please don’t let that put off any new writer, if you want anything in life bad enough you can make it happen. I’m so proud of myself that though all the tough times I stuck at it and made it happen. Its truly liberating. But there is no greater reward than putting your story out into the world and have it so greatly received. It’s what makes it so worthwhile!

Thank you, Joanne. And good luck with your upcoming titles!

Don't miss the e-book giveaway (3 copies)!

October 7 - October 29

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